Publications

Feedbase Tech Note Series

The FutureDairy 2 Feedbase Complementary Forage Systems Tech Notes series is available for download.
Click on the filename to the right to download the individual PDF files. Alternately you can download the .ZIP file which contains the whole series.

“Farmers wishing to increase their utilisation of home-grown feed can use some or all of the elements of the Complementary Forage System developed by FutureDairy”.
Shirley Harlock

Automatic Milking

The adoption of Automatic Milking impacts on all aspects of the farming option – it is not just a new way to milk cows. Australian experience has shown that farmers who really do their homework prior to adopting AMS minimize any negative impacts on cow, herd or farm performance. The following resources should help you to increase your understanding of AMS, be realistic about what can be achieved with AMS and consider different management options when you are farming with AMS.

“The resources developed by FutureDairy were invaluable to us as we transitioned from conventional milking to robotic milking – without the support of the team and access to the tools and resources they developed, we are sure that the transition would have been more challenging and would have taken longer.”

Victorian AMS farmer

Automatic Milking

The following resources compliment the Management Guidelines for Pasture based AMS herds and Large Herd Management Guidelines.

Case Studies

The following AMS labour case studies were prepared from a series of labour audits conducted on AMS farms in 2013/14. The case studies reflect each farm’s situation at that time. Like all farms, these operations have evolved since the time the case studies were prepared. Please read these case studies in this context. While they are a snapshot taken at a particularly time, these case studies demonstrate the potential impact of AMS on five farms who all invested in AMS with quite different objectives.

Richard and Mariette van Dooren milk 800 cows in two herds at their northern Victorian property near Strathmerton. One herd is milked in a conventional dairy while the other is housed indoors and is milked through six AMS units.

Kaur, R and Garcia, S.C. (2010) Rumen degradation and fermentation characteristics of forage rape. In ‘Proceedings of the Australasian Dairy Science Symposium 2010’ to be held at Lincoln University, Christchurch NZ from 31st August to 2nd September

Scott, V. E., Kerrisk, K.L., Garcia, S.C. and Thomson, P.C. (2013) Does Offering Feed Before or After Milking Influence Behaviours of Cows in a Pasture-Based Automatic Milking System? Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 18: 104

Talukder, S., Kerrisk, K.L., Garcia, S.C., Ingenhoff, L. and Celi, P. (2013) Can Digital Infrared Thermography Help with Prediction of Ovulation in a Pasture-Based Dairy System? Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 18: 145

Campbell, M. (2012) Commercial reality of integrating forage crops on a pasture based dairy. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden

Clark, C (2012) Growing more pasture and your profits. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden

Garcia, S.C. and Islam, R. (2012) How complementary forage systems can help farmers to reduce ‘wastage’ and increase productivity. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden

Golder, H., Bramley, E., Rabiee, A.R., Celi, P. and Lean, I. (2012) Validation of an acidosis model. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Lyons, N. and Kolbach, R. (2012) Accepting technologies on our dairy farms. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Scott, V., Kerrisk, K. and Garcia, S.C. (2012) Investigating the effect of a forage crop on voluntary cow traffic in a pasture-based system.Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden

Talukdar, S. (2012) Use of thermal infrared scanning technique for oestrus detection in dairy cows. ? Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Campbell, M (2011) An investigation into the flexible use of forage systems in Northern Victoria: The Forage Planning Exercise. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Golder, H. (2011) Effects of carbohydrates and histidine on ruminal pH and fermentation products during an induced acidosis protocol . Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Kerrisk, K (2011) Robotic rotary: revolutionising milk harvesting as we know it? Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Kolbach, R (2011) Investigation into the effect of different bail activation sequences with a robotic rotary. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Lyons, N. (2011) Management strategy to impact on milking intervals and total daily yield of dairy cows in an automatic milking system, under typical Australian pasture-based conditions. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Scott, V. (2011) Understanding the effect of feed vs. No feed on cow queuing behaviour within the new robotic rotary system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Campbell, M (2010) An investigation into the flexible use of different forage systems in Northern Victoria – a systems analysis approach. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.

Dickeson, D (2010) Quantification of the effects of inaccurate pasture allocation in a pasture-based automatic milking system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp

Farina S (2010) Less grain and more gains: milking from home-grown forage. Proceedings of Australian Dairy Conference. 80-82.

Farina, S (2010) Environmental impact of increasing stocking rate or milk yield per cow on a pasture-based dairy farm system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp

Kerrisk K (2010) Robotics in future farming systems – where are we going. Proceedings of Australian Dairy Conference. 50-53.

Kolbach, R (2010) Quantifying the frequency of successful reattachment (after 1 vs. 3 hours) of un-milked quarters with a prototype AMS. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp

Lisle, A and Kempton, K. (2010) FutureDairy 2’s Hunter Valley farm collaboration project. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp

Lyons, N (2010) Investigation into the effect of variable milking intervals on total yield of dairy cows in an automatic milking system, under typical australian pasture-based conditions. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp

Dickeson, D., Kerrisk K and Garcia S (2009). Quantification of the effects of inaccurate pasture allocation in a pasture based automatic milking system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp 14

Fariña, S.R., Garcia, S.C. and Fulkerson, W.J. (2009). Strategies to maximise intake per ha in a pasture based system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp 14

Horadogoda, A. (2009). What forages do cows prefer if given choice? Dairy Research Foundation, Current topics in dairy production, Camden NSW. pp 14

Islam, MD. (2009). Forage options to increase forage and water productivity in autumn-winter Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp 14.

Islam, M.R., Garcia, S.C., (2009). Forage options to increase forage and water productivity in autumn-winter. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium.

Kaur, R. (2009). Rumen degradation kinetics of forage rape (brassica napus) at different weeks of maturity. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp 14

Kerrisk, K. (2009). Feeding in an automated milking system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp 14

Kuar, R. (2009). Continuous monitoring of rumen ph using rumen probes. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. pp 14.

Dickeson D.A., Kerrisk K.L., Garcia S.C. (2008) Quantification of the effects of inaccurate pasture allocation in a Pasture based Automatic Milking System. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 13: 34.

Fariña, S.R., Garcia, S.C., Alford, A., Fulkerson, W.J. (2008). More milk from home grown feed: more profits? Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 13: 58.

Farina, S (2007) Maximising milk production/ha from home grown feed: over 30,000L/ha from a complementary forage rotation/pasture system. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 12: 47-51.

Kaboré, B (2007) Complementary forage rotation as alternative pasture production for dairy cows. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 12: 52-55.

Kaur, R (2007) Time of feeding forage rape (Brassica napus) in relation to maize silage effects on digestibility and rumen parameter. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 12: 56-58.

Pedernera, M (2007) Is 6,000L or 9,000L/cow lactation the best option, what is the cows perspective? Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden. 12: 64-66.

Davis, K. (2006) Automatic Milking at Camden “Dairy farming with townie hours’. Proceedings of the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium, The University of Sydney, Camden.11. p 74.